A shooting at a government press conference in Port-au-Prince, Haiti has left three journalists dead and seven others injured. The attack occurred when armed men opened fire on a group of journalists who had gathered to cover the reopening of Haiti’s largest public hospital. The hospital was set to reopen on Christmas Eve after being forced closed by street gangs earlier this year.
Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, Johnson “Izo” André, claimed responsibility for the attack in a video posted on social media. The gang coalition Viv Ansanm had not authorized the hospital’s reopening, according to the video.
The victims were identified as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean, two journalists who worked with the Online Media Collective. Haiti’s interim president, Leslie Voltaire, condemned the attack, calling it a “macabre scene comparable to terrorism”.
The government has vowed to respond firmly to the attack, which they described as an “unacceptable” and “heinous act”. The hospital had been closed due to gang attacks in March, which led to the ousting of former prime minister Ariel Henry. Gang violence has pushed Haiti’s healthcare system to the brink of collapse, with looting, setting fires, and destroying medical institutions and pharmacies.
The rainy season is expected to increase the risk of water-borne diseases, particularly cholera, in Haiti. The country faces significant challenges in its healthcare system, including a shortage of resources and poor conditions in camps and makeshift settlements.
Haiti’s healthcare crisis has been exacerbated by gang violence, with the Haitian Association of Journalists describing the scene as “a macabre comparison to terrorism”. The incident is a stark reminder of the risks faced by journalists covering breaking news events.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/24/haiti-hospital-reopening-shooting